Anyone know the laws regarding parking a bicycle on a sidewalk? Specifically, are sidewalks public property, or in Thai law do businesses normally get control over the sidewalk too?

 

My situation:

 

A Thai guy standing outside a bar that I normally park by suddenly insisted that I move my bicycle today. It was tied to a metal post.

 

At first I didn't even think my bicycle was even near the bar. But as I looked back, the signpost was adjacent to the very edge of the building. It was not creating any blockage and the guy was asking me to move it just because he could.

 

Police happen to be near this area so they can easily resolve the issue. It comes down to whether the business has domain over the sidewalk. (Today I took the cautious approach and moved the bicycle though)

PS: Here is the post I locked it up on: https://www.google.com/maps/@12.9273536,100.8745706,3a,75y,156.71h,80.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sK77VwrWGu_eCmUeLEMNlCA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

 

The bar with the guy who made me move it is on the right.

 

 

I ignored the security guards asking me to move my bike while I went to the supermarket, and when I came back, they'd put a great big chain round it.

 

I don't think it matters who has domain over the footpath outside the bar, unless you want to take it to court.  You won't get a visa extension on that basis, though.  And you probably will need to buy a new bike in the meantime as well.

 

SC

1 hour ago, StreetCowboy said:

I ignored the security guards asking me to move my bike while I went to the supermarket, and when I came back, they'd put a great big chain round it.

 

I don't think it matters who has domain over the footpath outside the bar, unless you want to take it to court.  You won't get a visa extension on that basis, though.  And you probably will need to buy a new bike in the meantime as well.

 

SC

Or a bolt cutter! If it's a private security guard they can do nothing unless they SEE you, in which case you may have hospital bills to pay - NOT advisable.

To be fair, there was a bicycle rack I had not noticed 150 m away on the far side of the entrance to the multi-storey car park.  In those days, it was packed, but I think most of the bikes were abandoned, and it was suddenly emptied, and has stayed empty.

 

There's always a security guard loitering nearby (on a Saturday morning, anyway) to blow his whistle, and also to stop traffic to help pedestrians cross the entrance to the car park.  I don't have a photo of the security guard

4 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

You won't get a visa extension on that basis, though. 

 

Can you fill me in with more details on this? I didn't realize active litigation gets you an auto denial for visa stuff.

Were you trying to park your bicycle (lock it to the post) on an 'even day' or an 'odd day'?

 

A number of streets in Thailand you can park on one side or the other not both... the 'go to' system has been to park on days with an 'odd date' i.e. 1st, 3rd, 5th February etc... on one side and days with an even date on the other side of the road. 

 

Thus, the issue could be something as simple as this. Or it could be something as simple as some guy decides to be a bit of a jobsworth and because you are a foreigner, without connections etc... this jobsworth thinks he can push you around into not parking up your bicycle on a public footpath.

 

He's either doing a good job and thought you may end up blocking the footpath, or he's being a d!ck.... 

 

 

6 hours ago, Hal65 said:

 

Can you fill me in with more details on this? I didn't realize active litigation gets you an auto denial for visa stuff.

The legalities of it only matter if you end up in court, and that will take a very long time and be very expensive.  It will probably take longer than your visa.  That's all. 

7 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Were you trying to park your bicycle (lock it to the post) on an 'even day' or an 'odd day'?

 

A number of streets in Thailand you can park on one side or the other not both... the 'go to' system has been to park on days with an 'odd date' i.e. 1st, 3rd, 5th February etc... on one side and days with an even date on the other side of the road. 

 

Thus, the issue could be something as simple as this. Or it could be something as simple as some guy decides to be a bit of a jobsworth and because you are a foreigner, without connections etc... this jobsworth thinks he can push you around into not parking up your bicycle on a public footpath.

 

He's either doing a good job and thought you may end up blocking the footpath, or he's being a d!ck.... 

 

 

 

Interesting, it wasn't that though because there was a car parked right next to me.

 

The car makes me think they were sucking up to the boss. Another time I locked up near the car of the boss of a grocery store. A friendly security guard asked me to move the bike for that reason (kept calling the dude "big boss"). 

 

This guy on the other hand, was rude and even yelled at me (I was shocked as I'm fairly mild mannered)

Most of you are polite, dont see a Car pull out n park arse out bang in the middle using a stand. Years ago if was  in a Truck,i sadly reversed into them. How Sad, never mind n drove off.